


Love can never be so easy ~ A Prinxiety story

by abrecalledcheese



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, England (Country), Gay, Homophobia, Human Sides (Sanders Sides), M/M, Regency Romance, Romantic Prinxiety - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28821051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abrecalledcheese/pseuds/abrecalledcheese
Summary: Set in the 1810s, Roman Prince and Virgil Sable are two young men who live in Regency England - a trending time of fashion, architecture, literature and romance in the country. And as respectable men of their time, they're sole duties to their families are to wed wives, raise children, earn money and live a simple, easy aristocratic life.But one day, when their paths happen to cross, Roman and Virgil quickly learn that life and love aren't as straightforward as they were raised to believe it was and they soon discover that none of it was ever meant to be easy.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders
Comments: 9
Kudos: 19





	1. Prologue

“Virgil! Come on, the carriage is waiting outside!” his sister called from downstairs.  
“I’m coming!” Virgil called back. He quickly finished the last line of the drawing he was working on then closed his notebook, placed it under one of the floorboards and ran down to meet with his family, who were waiting for him.  
“Are you ready?” his mother asked.  
“Yes,” Virgil replied as he put on his coat then walked over to his sister. “Are you ready to meet your future husband?” he whispered in her ear. Celine looked down and hid a shy smile.  
“Do not be so forward brother. We are yet to meet him,” she said confidently, holding her head up high as the two siblings went with their parents to the carriage.  
“Maybe so. But I’ve heard he is quite the looker,” Virgil remarked with a grin as they stepped inside.  
Unable to hide her playful smirk, Celine couldn’t help but agree. “Indeed.”

The journey to the Princes’ manor was not a long one and it wasn’t so boring either. The sun shone brightly that day and the clouds were spread out perfectly across the beautiful blue sky and the spring season brought vibrant flowers and colours to the luscious green countryside sceneries they passed. Though the road they travelled on was quite rocky, the air was fresh and comforting and made up for the constant bumpiness.  
When Virgil looked ahead , he saw a small line of grey clouds on the horizon.  
‘Must be storms coming,’ he thought to himself. And in typical English weather, it was bound to be unpleasant rain. Although he himself never minded it. He personally liked the rain and all the thunderstorms it brought with it; it made life more exciting when it started to get dull and it was a great inspiration for his art.

“We’re here,” his father said after a long while. Finally they had arrived. As he stepped out of the carriage, Virgil’s jaw dropped slightly at the scale of the house; it was huge and the many number of people he could see inside terrified him slightly. He was never really a social person and had never been to many parties or gatherings before, so this was one of the few his sister had persuaded him to attend. In all honesty, he didn’t know how she even managed to do so, but now here he was and there was no turning back.  
Upon seeing her brother anxious, Celine linked her arm with his and smiled reassuringly. “You’ll be okay,” she said softly as she patted his arm. “If at any point during the evening you want to leave, just find me and we will. I have already spoken to Mother and Father about this and they agreed to allow us to go early if necessary.” Virgil nodded gratefully to his sister, who he did not deserve.  
“Thank you Lini” he whispered as he pulled her in for a hug.  
“Of course, brother,” she replied. When they released, Celine linked arms with Virgil again and grinned excitedly. “Now come! Let us enjoy the evening!”


	2. I

The atmosphere of the ball was a joyful, welcome but also quite relaxed one; much of a contrast to what Virgil expected it to be. When he walked in, he immediately noticed how much the room had been lit up spledurously by the crystal chandeliers and candles that were perfectly placed accordingly on the walls. Women and handsome men were enjoying each other’s company and dancing with each other and it wasn’t quite so crowded, so Virgil fortunately had room to breathe. Immediately after they had stepped foot in the large, spacious and beautifully decorated hall, his sister had been asked to dance. Celine released her arm from her brother’s as he nodded for her to go and she eagerly made her way with her new partner to the dance floor.

Following them into the hall, Virgil stood by the wall to watch his sister enjoy herself. He laughed as she dazzled the room and turned the heads of all the men she passed. It was obvious that she was attracting the most attention from everyone and her beauty outshone all the other’s. Her hair was held up finely in a neat bun and the few curls of hair that fell on the side of her face wonderfully accentuated her features. And the stunning yellow dress she wore fabulously with a gold lace trim only complimented her dazzling elegance.

Virgil smiled proudly at his sister and at how much of a gorgeous woman she had grown into; he would always remember her as the young girl who nagged him to accompany her in her adventures in the fields and return home muddy with tousled hair. When the dance had finished, Celine clapped happily and grinned at her brother who mouthed ‘Well done’ to her. In response, she nodded thankfully, and as she prepared herself for the next dance, Virgil silently made his way through the crowds to step outside. He was feeling fine and didn’t have a desperate need to go out, but a little fresh air wouldn’t hurt.

Eventually, he found the doors that lead to the garden and as he strolled around the flower beds and the shrubs and the rose bushes, he remembered how much he loved the silence and its contentment. The night sky was quiet and there wasn’t a cloud in sight so the stars were displayed in all their shimmering glory; it was a magnificent, iridescent display. 

Still fixated on the flowers, Virgil didn’t care to think about where he was walking, along it was on the path, however, in doing so, he accidentally bumped heads with a stranger. He winced in pain as he held his head and he could hear the stranger grunt too, but when he looked up, their eyes locked and for a few moments, time had stopped and his heartbeat quickened upon seeing this incredibly attractive man.

Although he only stayed staring at his eyes, Virgil could see in his peripherals the man’s marvellously handsome features. He was slim, but perfectly built and the suit he wore fit his figure flawlessly and his boots were polished to shine like crystals. His penny brown hair fell perfectly into place and, under the moonlight, Virgil could see that he had a few fair highlights in it to add to his looks that didn’t help his growing blush.

“Apologies,” the stranger eventually said, snapping Virgil out of his trance. “I- um. I was not keeping an eye on where I was walking,” he added, rubbing his head and smiling bashfully. Virgil’s face turned an even deeper shade of red when he saw how dazzling his smile was, but, thankfully, due to the lack of light in the night, he was able to hide it.  
“I, too, apologise. I was not really looking where I was going either,” Virgil managed to say as confidently as he could.  
“Well, that puts my mind at ease,” the stranger laughed quietly in an attempt to lift the mood and luckily it worked; Virgil laughed too. “What are you doing out here?” the man asked after a few moments of silence.

“I just wanted to get away from the party,” Virgil responded. “What about you?”  
“Likewise. The party is entertaining and I am having a pleasant time but… I wanted a couple quiet moments to myself. Away from all the chaos.” Virgil couldn’t help but lose himself in this mysterious man’s voice. It was so pleasant to hear. It was warm, kind and comforting but also majestic and regal and he gave off a sense of royalty whenever he spoke. But just because he lost himself didn’t mean that he wasn’t listening and he soon realised what the stranger had told him.  
“Oh, well then in that case, I shall leave you alone then,” Virgil said in a respectful voice, with a hidden undertone of sadness, and turned to leave.

“Wait no please!” He heard the man say. Confused, Virgil turned round back to him with an eyebrow slightly raised in anticipation. “I wouldn’t mind some company now, that I've been alone for a while,” the stranger said shyly. Not only was he amazingly handsome, but he was also undeniably adorable. A small smile found its way onto Virgil’s face as he nodded and returned to the man’s side to continue along the path with him.

Their conversation was interesting to say the least. They talked about many things and could easily find something to keep the conversation alive and neither men grew tired of each other’s company. This unknown person was able to capture Virgil’s attention effortlessly, like a bee to a flower, and he felt very comfortable around him - a feeling Virgil wasn’t used to when being around strangers. Something about being by this man’s side felt right, and he hoped that he felt the same way.  
“This is by far the most delightful conversation I have had with anyone in a long time,” the man remarked with a charming smile. Virgil couldn’t help but smile back; his joy was just so infectious.  
“I agree. This is the longest conversation I have ever had with anyone,” Virgil said and laughed a little, hoping the stranger wouldn’t hear the hint of misery in his voice, but he was wrong.

Raising an eyebrow, he questioned, “What do you mean by that?”  
“Well, I’ve never been much of a social person. I’m quite introverted and I prefer to stay indoors, where it’s safe and warm. Don’t get me wrong, the outdoors are lovely but… I much more enjoy the inside,” Virgil answered hesitantly. He pursed his lips and prepared to be judged (again) but, to his surprise, the stranger nodded agreeably and said that he understood. Though he didn’t show it externally, Virgil was extremely surprised at his reaction. Many encounters prior where he had given his answer as to why he was introverted, he was scolded and told that a man his age should be out more often and his pale complexion was additionally picked upon, but the person was unusually calm about it and Virgil was secretly very grateful for that.

“Good sir,” Virgil started after realising something important. “I have just realised: you never told me your name.” The man stopped, causing Virgil to halt in his tracks too, and turned to face him so that they were now opposite each other. He bent down, gingerly took Virgil’s hand in his own and kissed his knuckles tenderly, like a prince would do to a princess in fairy tales.  
“Roman,” he said softly, his warm breath staining Virgil’s porcelain skin.  
“Roman,” Virgil repeated breathlessly as he continued to stare helplessly into the curiously intelligent pair of eyes before him. The man - Roman - then returned to his normal posture but he never broke their stare once. Suddenly, an unknown, invisible force pulled them together; they could feel it themselves but they didn’t resist and completely lost themselves in the moment.

The scenery and atmosphere were perfect. The sky was midnight, the stars were perfectly placed, the moon was full, the silence was soothing and the moment was pure. Everything felt like it was where it should be and Virgil and Roman dared to take advantage of it all. Roman glanced at Virgil’s lips briefly and Virgil did the same. The garden around them disappeared, the noise from the manor faded away and the lovestruck pair were alone in their thoughts as the distance between them gradually reduced as they leaned closer and closer and closer… until-

“Roman!” The two men jumped away from each other abruptly, their faces flushed and cheeks tinted a crimson shade of red. “Roman!”  
“I think those are my parents calling me,” Roman said quietly, looking down. Virgil sighed, more disappointed than relieved, and nodded, indicating to Roman that he should go.

“Well then,” Roman said in his usual confident voice and posture that had managed to return to him. “I suppose this is where I leave you. Unless you’ll be returning to the party.”  
“Oh, yes I will. Eventually.” In all honesty, Virgil had completely forgotten all about the party and now had no intention of going back. But, sooner or later he would have to. (To accompany his sister of course… no other reason.)  
“Farewell then.” Turning on his heel, Roman started to make his way back to the house. But not before turning back momentarily to say to Virgil, “For now.” And he left with a wink and a smirk, leaving Virgil a blushing mess among the roses.


	3. II

TW: Brief panic attack

“Brother? Virgil? Are you out here?” Virgil came out from behind the bushes, much to his sister’s relief. “Oh my goodness where have you been? Mother and Father have been looking everywhere for you and so have I,” she asked, clearly stressed.

“I’ve just been out here. Admiring the flowers,” he replied innocently, lightly touching the rose that stuck out from the bush.

“Well, you’re here now, and I’ve found you. Come on,” Celine said as she took his hand and led him back to the house. She moved quite quickly to Virgil’s surprise so he had no choice but to follow her. “Mother and Father want to introduce us to the Princes and their children.”

“I’m guessing they want to strike up a chance of marriage?” Virgil asked halfheartedly.  
“Of course,” Celine responded and Virgil internally cringed at her answer. The thought of marrying a woman seemed strange and unfitting to Virgil and he had been feeling this way ever since he was a child. Whenever his father had talked to him about how, one day, he would find a beautiful woman to wife, he just felt so out of place.

And he never knew why.

As the two siblings made their way back into the house and through the crowds, they eventually found their parents.

“Stand up straighter boy!” his father commanded. Virgil immediately perked up, even though it felt uncomfortable and exposing to do so, and lifted his chin higher. “You’re supposed to be the man of the family who will one day be in charge of the house! Act like it!” he ordered as he stood next to his wife. His mother quickly turned round to the pair of them.

“Even your sister does a better job than you, and that’s saying something dear,” she whispered then turned back round. Behind her, Virgil looked to his sister, who smiled at him sadly, then he looked down shamefully. He wasn’t a perfect son, he knew that, but his parents didn't always have to pick on it, making him feel worse than he already did.

Virgil kept his head down as his parents showed them off to the Princes. His sister, on the other hand, kept her head held high.  
“Mr Prince, Mrs Prince. May I introduce my daughter, Celine…”  
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Celine greeted, then curtsied respectfully.  
“... and my son, Virgil.” Virgil stepped forward timidly and bowed politely, whilst still looking down. When he stepped back his father nudged him slightly.  
“Look up boy!” he scolded quietly and Virgil obeyed abruptly. But when he did, he came across a lovely surprise.

There, before him, was Roman, standing in all his radiant charm. And he looked even better in the light. Roman wasn’t focused with what was happening before him and his eyes were darting elsewhere around the room but when he looked down, he seemed to also freeze in shock and a small smile etched itself onto his face as he sighed happily upon seeing him.

“Lovely to meet you all. And may I introduce my children,” Mr Prince said as he turned and gestured to his children. “My son, Roman.” Roman bowed, but we looked back up he only met eyes with Virgil and held his stare, causing him to blush furiously. “And my daughters: Rosaline, Lydia and Eleanor.” Each girl curtsied upon hearing their names, like they were cues, and smiled subtly. 

They all had their own different auras about them. Rosaline was quite tall for her gender and she had features similar to Roman’s, such as her eyes, though they definitely weren’t as captivating as his; she was definitely the eldest of the four. Lydia and Eleanor, however, were a lot more happier than their older sister and much more giggly and they were no doubt the youngest of the family, leaving Roman as the middle child.

“I trust you are enjoying the party,” Mrs Prince said, to which Mr and Mrs Sable nodded.  
“Indeed madam. The celebration is very joyous and we are having much fun.” Music then started sounding from the hall and Mr and Mrs Prince seized this opportunity to bring their children together. Clearing her throat, Mrs Prince spoke up.

“Celine. I had the delight of watching you dance earlier and I must say, you really are quite graceful.”  
“Thank you kindly madam.” Mrs Prince then turned to her son.  
“Roman, would you like to accompany her in her next dance?” Roman stared for a few moments at his mother with wide eyes before nodding with a well-acted smile.

“Of course. Miss Celine?” He offered out his hand to her and she accepted it, turning to her brother with an excited grin before he led her away. Virgil watched them go sadly. A sinking feeling emerged within him and he felt it grow deeper and deeper with each step they took farther away. For the first time in his life, Virgil was jealous of his sister… but he still couldn’t quite figure out why. 

The feeling was just there.

“And Virgil?” Mrs Sable said, regaining his attention. “Would you like to dance with Miss Prince?” Virgil tensed up but remained in control. He had been in this situation many times before, so he knew how to act and what to do. Stepping forward, he held out his hand similarly to how Roman had done.  
“Well, Miss Rosaline?” he asked as bravely as he could, despite his nerves begging him not to go.  
“Gladly, Mr Sable,” Rosaline replied. Her tone was just like her brother’s: regal and assertive, though it lacked the sweetness and kindness Roman’s had.

Taking their places on the floor, Roman and Celine and Virgil and Rosaline danced with the music effortlessly and they genuinely all enjoyed it, including Virgil, but the two men couldn’t help but exchange glances as they passed each other in the dance. Again, their eye contact stayed firm and although they were still dancing with their partners, Roman and Virgil felt like they were the only people in the room and everything around them disappeared once more. 

When the dance finished, the men bowed, the women curtsied and all four of them left the floor, making space for the next group of people. Virgil walked away to the parlour and Roman tried to follow him, but was unfortunately stopped by his father calling him, and of course he had to obey.

“Did you have fun dancing with Miss Celine?” his father asked.  
“Hm? Oh, yes father,” Roman replied without looking at him. He had spotted Virgil and was determined to keep an eye on him so that when this conversation had finished, he would be able to talk with him again. For a moment, Virgil turned round and met his eye. Looking back down, Roman saw him smile bashfully and he couldn’t help but do the same.

“Speaking of Celine, her parents requested that you maybe spend some time with her; get to know her. She seems like a lovely young lady,” his father remarked. Roman hid an annoyed frown, knowing full well what their parents were planning.  
“I’m sure she is, father. And she is a fine dancer too,” he said, successfully making his father believe what he wanted to.

Meanwhile, with Virgil, Celine wouldn’t stop gushing about how much of a handsome man Roman was. Virgil undeniably agreed, but didn’t make his feelings as obvious as she did.  
“Oh Virgil. You were so correct, he is truly a kind sight for the eyes,” she sighed.  
“I know,” Virgil muttered under his breath.

“And he is a very graceful dancer too. I have very rarely ever seen a man dance so lightly.”  
“I know,” he whispered again and this time when he did, he turned his head for a moment to look where Roman was standing with his father. Making eye contact with him always seemed to have the same effect everytime on Virgil; his face would heat up, his heartbeat would quicken and a lovesick smile would be painted on his face. It was a love/hate relationship he had with this feeling.

“Should I dance with him again? Maybe I should dance with him again. I think I want to dance with him again. Ok, no, scratch that. I do want to dance with him again!”  
“Lini!” Virgil laughed as he grasped his sister’s shoulders, making her calm down. The two siblings couldn’t help but then burst into laughter.

“Celine? Could you come here please darling?” they heard their mother call. As Celine walked to her parents, Virgil calmed himself then went to go looking for Roman again. He tried going to where he saw him previously, but he soon realised that he wasn’t there and had moved elsewhere.

Wading through the crowds, Virgil tried to remain composed but with the growing number of people around him, his breathing started to quicken and his hands started to shake, along with his body. The room started spinning and he tried to call for Celine, however, although he thought he was shouting, his voice wasn’t any louder than a whisper and he was certain he would’ve fallen unconscious, had it not been for a mysterious pair of strong arms that helped carry him back up and out of the crowd.

The unknown person carried him to the doors leading to the garden and placed him on the steps. Luckily, Virgil had managed to regain enough strength to hold himself up as he sat down and when he opened his eyes, he was incredibly relieved and happy to see a pair of dazzling green emeralds gazing right back at him.

“Th- Thank you, Roman,” he said, breathlessly, in a manner that made Virgil sound less grateful that he truly was.  
“What happened to you there?” Roman asked after a couple minutes of silence, allowing Virgil’s head and thoughts some room to breathe.  
“Panic attack,” Virgil sighed as he kept his head down and his eyes closed and tried to relax his breathing.

Hesitantly, Roman reached out to pat his back, not knowing what else to do and although Virgil tensed for a second at the sudden touch, he allowed Roman to comfort him.

“Roman, I am very grateful that you have helped me and stayed out here with me, but you really must return to the party. You are one of the hosts, you must be there,” Virgil said but Roman shook his head.

“I can assure you they will cope just fine without me there. Besides, a few more minutes by your side wouldn’t hurt would it?”

Virgil blushed at that. Hearing Roman say ‘by your side’ directly to him made the increasing number of butterflies in his stomach flutter higher than the clouds, and if he were to answer, he would say the same.

“So, Virgil,” Roman said but the mention of his name made Virgil noticeably cringe. “What’s the matter?” he asked after seeing the face Virgil made.

“Oh nothing, I just… despise my name,” Virgil answered.

“Why? It’s a lovely name, whyever would you dislike it?”

“I’ve never liked the sound of it. It sounds intimidating, assertive, and that’s not who I am. It makes people think too highly of me before they meet me, and when they eventually do, of course they’re disappointed. Because I’m nothing like my name paints me to be.” 

Roman frowned at how much Virgil belittled himself. He adjusted his position to face him, and asked Virgil to look at him, so that he could see that he meant every word he was about to say.

“Virgil, how dare you speak so harshly of yourself. I, for one, adore your name,” Roman complimented as he stared intimately into Virgil’s chocolate brown eyes. Bashfully, Virgil looked down and shook off Roman compliment.

“You don’t have to-” he began, but Roman wasn’t finished.

“I love the way it rolls off the tongue, I love how beautiful it is, thus reflecting your appearance and I love how it can mean different things to different people.”

Virgil furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head at the last phrase. “What do you mean by that?” he inquired.

“Well, you said that it sounds intimidating and assertive, but I think it sounds mysterious yet captivating… much like the dark horse you are,” Roman quietly added on the end, causing Virgil’s face to heat up and his eyes to widen in shock; no one had ever talked so highly of him before.

“You’re only saying that to make me feel better about myself,” he said shyly through a small smile.

“Yes, but I promise you I meant every word,” Roman assured Virgil, as he took his shaky hands in his and gazed into his gorgeous, chocolate browneyes. Virgil’s hands were cold, but awfully soft and if Roman could have stayed holding them forever until his dying days, he undoubtedly would have.

Roman smiled at Virgil, who smiled back and gingerly moved closer to him and leaned his head on his shoulder. The two boys stayed, sitting together in the cold company of the night on the garden steps and enjoyed the moment without saying a word.

Virgil was unusually comfortable in silence with him and liked how relaxed they were and he sighed quietly and contently as he allowed his eyes to slip closed.

However, he didn’t fall asleep, and a couple of minutes later he felt a hand brush a few strands of hair from his face. Knowing it was Roman, he didn’t react and carried on pretending to sleep but when a finger started to lightly stroke his cheek, Virgil’s heart soared and he hid an excited smile.

“Virgil?” a voice suddenly came from inside the house, undoubtedly Celine’s. “Virgil?” Her call got louder the second time and both boys tore away from each other and stood up, trying to desperately conceal the shades of red that had stained their cheeks.

“There you are,” she said as she walked over to him, not noticing Roman. “You’ve been disappearing all night, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, sister,” Virgil replied but Celine was not convinced. She could tell that something had happened.

“What happened Virgil? You look pale.”

“Panic attack,” he answered in a quiet voice and Celine immediately hugged him.

“Oh Virgil I am so sorry, I never should have brought you here. Do you want to go home?” she asked and Virgil nodded subtly. He noticed Roman’s crestfallen face from behind Celine however and a twinge of guilt twisted his stomach.

He wanted to remain at the party and by Roman’s side, truly he did, but he couldn’t risk another panic attack. He couldn’t stay there.

“But, Mr Prince helped a great deal,” Virgil said pointing to Roman, who bowed his head respectfully as Celine turned around. She instantly became flustered and shy upon seeing him, which Virgil thought was adorable. However, the feeling of jealousy that he couldn’t explain before returned and poked at his stomach.

“Mr Prince, thank you for attending to my brother,” she said as she also bowed her head slightly and smiled gratefully at him. “If it were not for you, I fear he would have lost himself.”

“You are most welcome Miss Sable,” Roman responded, glancing at Virgil. Celine then turned to walk back inside the house and Virgil started to follow her, but was stopped by a hand grabbing his wrist. Instantly, he turned around.

“Will I see you again, Virgil?” Roman asked, his eyes ridden with sadness and desperation; it made Virgil melt quicker than snow on a summer’s day.

“I certainly hope so,” he answered quietly with a smile, before turning away to follow his sister.

When he was no longer in sight, Roman fell back down on the steps and touched the shoulder Virgil’s head once rested on. A lovesick smile crept its way onto his face as he looked down and remembered the feeling, the warmth, the tenderness he felt in his juvenile heart when he laced his fingers with Virgil’s and prayed to the stars that their paths would cross again.


	4. III

A growing feeling of longing came to Virgil the moment he stepped away from Roman. Again, he couldn’t explain why the feeling was there, it just was and he was honestly getting quite annoyed that he wasn’t able to figure out what it was.

As he and Celine rode home, he couldn’t stop thinking about Roman and he kept replaying all the moments he spent with him in his mind. Looking outside the window at the wondrous stars above, Virgil unconsciously started smiling and Celine caught sight of it.

“Did you enjoy the night?” she asked, interrupting Virgil’s thoughts.  
“Very much so,” he responded before looking back out the window.

Celine pursed her lips and fiddled with her hands as she shamefully looked down.  
“Virgil, I’d just like to apologize,” she said, making Virgil look at her in confusion.  
“Whatever for?” he questioned in a quiet, soft voice that made Celine relax a bit, knowing that he wasn’t cross.

“For forcing you to attend the party with me. I know that you don’t cope well in big crowds and gatherings, yet, I begged you to come, even though it was obvious you didn’t want to. And look where that got you. You had a panic attack, and it’s all my fault. I’m sorry.” Celine looked away from her brother guiltily, but Virgil gently took her hands in his.

“Dear sister,” he started, making her look at him. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You just wanted me to have fun and experience what it would be like to attend a celebration since I am never present in those. I understand. Yes, unfortunately, I did get tangled in all the commotion but I genuinely did enjoy myself. This was the most pleasant night I have had in a long time. So, if anything, I should thank you for being the annoying, nagging sister you are,” Virgil said with a childish smile and Celine hit him playfully.

They shared a laugh before she soon fell asleep and Virgil was left alone again with his memories.

Back at the party, Roman couldn’t let go of Virgil either. A dopey smile found its way to his lips whenever he thought about him and his little sisters delightfully seized this opportunity to tease him.

“What are you grinning about big brother?” Lydia said as she smirked at him knowingly.  
“I think I know,” his mother chimed in. Roman’s face turned red instantly, fearing what they were going to say next. Had they seen him and Virgil? Did they know about him? How did they find out that he was-

“Miss Celine, no doubt,” his father said. Roman exhaled covertly. Fortunately, they were still clueless. He didn’t answer them and instead looked down sheepishly. Obviously, he was thinking about Virgil, but he let his family believe what they wanted.

“Aww, that’s adorable!” Eleanor giggled and Lydia joined her.  
“Stop,” Roman weakly said through a smile, unable to hide his blush. His older sister, as stoic as ever, approached him.

“Where is she now? You must find her and secure your chance of marriage,” Rosaline said flatly.  
“Calm yourself, sister,” Roman told her as he looked at her with a light smile. “We talked briefly and I am positive that she has taken an interest in me.”

“Excellent,” Rosaline replied emotionlessly. “Where is she?”  
“She has returned home,” Roman said.

“So, you just let her go?” Rosaline asked him and raised her voice a little louder than necessary.

“Do not fret sister! I will see hi- her again.”  
“How are you so sure?”  
“I’m not. But here’s to hoping,” Roman said as he looked down a little melancholy. He really didn’t know when he would see Virgil again, but sincerely wished that he would.

He excused himself from his family, walked over to the front entrance and stood outside and stared sadly ahead of the road.  
“Pull yourself together Roman,” he whispered to himself. “You don’t even know if he reciprocates your feelings.” Roman looked into the distance. “Still… that doesn’t mean I can’t have hope.”

When he walked back inside, Roman noticed a familiar coat hanging on one of the hooks.  
“That’s Virgil’s.” Suddenly, he got an idea. He raced upstairs to his room and quickly got out a pen and some paper. When he finished, he ran back downstairs again and out into the garden, trying to find the reddest, most vibrant rose in the bushes. Eventually, he found the one and he gently plucked a petal off.

Making his way back inside, Roman briskly walked to the entrance again, trying to avoid gaining any attention and slipped the rose into the paper, and the paper into the pocket of Virgil’s coat. All of a sudden, he heard two people approaching.

Roman panicked and hid in one of the nearest rooms so that they wouldn’t see him.  
“Oh, Virgil left his coat here.” He heard a woman’s voice say through the walls, likely Mrs Sable’s. Grinning, Roman sank to the floor, lovesick. The mere mention of his name was able to send Roman into a tizzy and he held a hand up to his chest to feel his heartbeat; it was speeding up quicker by the second.

He heard them walk away, and he knew that they were in a far enough vicinity, Roman stepped out of the room and watched them go.  
“Till we meet again…”

***

“Virgil! Mother and Father have returned, come down!” Celine called up to her brother.  
“I’m coming,” he shouted back. Closing his drawing book and hiding it under the floorboards again, Virgil put on his robe and joined his sister. It was late at night, possibly early in the morning and, seeing the navy sky, he realised how much he had actually lost track of time upstairs.

He arrived just in time to greet his parents as they walked through the door. His mother then walked over to him.  
“You left your coat dear, at their house,” she said as she handed it to him.  
“Oh thank you… mother,” Virgil’s voice trailed off as he saw a small piece of paper sitting in the top pocket. Still staring at it, he quickly excused himself and ran back upstairs to his room and closed the door.

As he hurriedly took out the paper and opened it, a single, red rose petal fell and Virgil caught it before it could touch the floor. He stared at it curiously and when he looked at the paper, there was one sentence written in beautiful handwriting.  
‘Until when we meet again.’

Sighing, Virgil leant back against the wall and held the paper and the petal close to his chest. He laughed quietly at himself, seeing how pathetic he was then placed them in his box under the floorboards, grinning constantly.

Suddenly, Virgil grabbed his pencil and a new sheet of paper and started sketching as much as he could remember of the garden. He never stopped smiling as he recalled the memories and the night he shared with Roman Prince.


	5. IV

It had been a month since Roman and Virgil’s last meeting, but they did not forget each other. It was incredibly difficult to. 2 weeks after that night, Virgil came to the conclusion that Roman mustn't think about him anymore, since it had been a long while since they saw each other and he deemed himself an easy person to forget.

He clung onto the petal often, which still hadn’t wilted, and tried to stay hopeful, but eventually he started losing faith. Virgil tried to let go of him; he tried to distract himself with anything to get Roman off his mind. Nothing worked.

Fortunately for Virgil, Roman had also found himself in the same stick situation. Except in his instance, Roman had nothing to remember Virgil by apart from his memories. Something in his mind was telling Roman to give up, let him go, and to stop wasting his time on Virgil, but he was determined and still retained hope.

Luckily for them, they would see each other again sooner than they thought…

***

The marketplace was quite busy that Sunday morning in town. A few more stalls were up than usual and the atmosphere was a lot more lively. It was just nearing the end of spring, the flowers were in beautiful bloom and the land was more vibrant in colours than it ever had been in a long time.

In the centre of town, in a small park, Virgil was sitting under a tree, sketching what he could see. It was on days like this, where the sun was shining and the breeze was cool, that he was able to be alone by himself and relax, by running away from reality through the help of his art.

After a couple more hours, Virgil decided that he had done enough for today and closed his book, put his pencil in his pocket and set off home again. But, just as he started walking, he suddenly heard his family’s voices from around the corner.

He quickly dashed off, and tried hiding his notebook as best he could. HIs father couldn’t find out about it; he wasn’t exactly in favour of the creative arts and if he discovered his drawings, he would surely burn them all.

As he ran back into the market, Virgil kept a constant eye out. He walked backwards, so he could try and see where they could be, but in doing so, he accidentally tripped and fell backwards.

Closing his eyes, Virgil braced himself for impact… but nothing happened. When he opened his eyes, he could feel a pair of strong hands holding him up from behind; something felt very familiar in the way this stranger was holding him.

“Good sir, are you alright?” the stranger asked and again, he was hit with deja vu hearing the voice.  
“Yes, thank you,” Virgil said quickly, pulling himself back up and brushing himself off, trying to look presentable again. “I apologise. I wasn’t looking where I was going and-”

As he brushed his fringe out of his eyes, Virgil froze, cutting himself off.

“Roman?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter's a little short, but isn't it fun to leave on a cliffhanger? How are you finding the story so far? I know it's only been a few chapters but I'd love to hear what you think!
> 
> ~Bre


	6. Chapter 6

“Virgil?” Roman stared at him with wide eyes, in as much shock as Virgil was.

“What are you doing here?” they both asked simultaneously.  
“I live here!” Virgil replied, a bit too loudly, causing some heads to be turned. Seeing the attention he was getting, Virgil cleared his throat and calmed himself a little. “What are you doing in my hometown?” he said in a quieter voice.

“This is your hometown?” Roman said under his breath for a moment, before snapping himself out of it. “Oh, um, well.”

Roman ran a hand through his hair as he stuttered, making Virgil scream internally. He was exactly as he remembered him; handsome, stunning and still undeniably adorable.

“My sister’s husband has invited us to stay with him for the summer,” Roman answered, eventually.  
“Your sister’s husband?” Virgil asked.  
“Yes. Rosaline got married to a ‘Mr Joseph Elmsford’ 3 weeks ago,” Roman explained, emphasising his new brother-in-law's name by pronouncing it poshly and lifting his chin up proudly, thus earning a small giggle from Virgil.

Roman couldn’t help but grin at his laugh. Seeing Virgil smile made his stomach flip like a gymnast and he could stare at his beauty for hours on end.

“Shall we walk?” he offered and Virgil nodded willingly, hugging his sketchbook to his chest as they walked about the town square.

“So, what were you doing in the market?”  
“Merely taking a stroll. I wanted to try and start to be familiar with where I will be staying for the next 5 months.” Roman looked around at the scene surrounding them as he talked to Virgil. “And I must say, this town truly is quite lovely.”

“Is that so? I’ve been living here ever since I was a child and personally I don't think there's anything incredibly special about it,” Virgil scoffed.

“Well I'm enjoying the sights, and I’m glad I chose to walk today,” Roman remarked, smiling. Curiously, Virgil looked at him.

“Why?” he asked, then Roman smirked at him, making his face start to heat up.  
“Because I got to see you again, of course.”

Virgil blushed and squeezed his notebook tighter. His heart was beating at a speed not even a cheetah could compete with and he smiled at the ground bashfully.

Roman took notice of the book Virgil was holding and stared at it, and him, peculiarly.  
“Virgil, may I inquire about something?” The young man looked back up and nodded.  
“What is-” But before Roman could get his words out, he was interrupted by a voice to his left.

“Virgil?” He turned his head to find Mrs Sable approaching them, her daughter following not far behind. “What are you doing here child and… Mr Prince?”

“Good afternoon madam,” Roman greeted, bowing his head respectfully. “Miss Sable.” Then turning to Celine, who nodded back. “I was just taking a walk through the market when I happened to bump into your son,” he told them, gesturing to Virgil, who had hidden sketchbook in his coat.

“What is your business in Hemel, Mr Prince?” Celine asked, calmly, although Virgil could see that she was just managing to maintain her composure.

“Me and my family are staying in my brother-in-law's home, here, for the summer.”  
“Well then, we must invite your family around sometime,” Mrs Sable offered and Roman nodded.  
“I’m sure my family would love that. As would I.” He stole a quick glance at Virgil and smirked.

“Well then, I’ll be on my way to deliver the invitation to my parents.”  
“Of course Mr Prince. Just send us a letter in advance, and we will prepare for your arrival,” Mrs Sable said, nodding her head slightly, indicating that he had her permission to leave.

Bowing, Roman bid them all farewell. “Mrs Sable, Celine, Virgil.” And with that, he turned on his heel and stepped away.

As they walked back home, Celine couldn’t stop gushing about Roman again. Virgil grinned the whole way back to the house, just as he did in the carriage that night. His heartbeat sped up at just the mere thought of Roman. He couldn’t wait to see him again, and this time, he knew it was for certain.

“Oh, wasn’t it a lovely joy and surprise to see Mr Prince again?” Celine said airily and Virgil smiled to himself.

“Yes. Yes it was.”


	7. VI

A week later, the Sables received a letter from the postman. Mrs Sable expected to find a note saying that they would be coming over, so she instantly walked back into the house to prepare. But her husband called back to her, showing her the invitation. It was an invite for them to have dinner at their house. Tomorrow.

“Well of course, we must go!” Mrs Sable exclaimed excitedly, and her husband agreed. Celine looked at Virgil eagerly, grinning, and instantly dashed back into the house, her brother following close behind.

“I can’t believe we’ll get to see him again!” she squealed as she briskly walked up the stairs to her room. Opening her cupboard, she started to take out each dress individually and inspect them one by one, before putting them back in again.

“Should I wear this one? Or maybe this one? No, this! No, wait no, this!”  
Virgil smiled at his sister’s enthusiasm as he leaned on the door frame just outside her room. He watched her, amusingly, as she contemplated which dress to wear.

“It’s just a simple picnic, sister,” he said, but not in a manner that was demeaning to her excitement. “I don’t see why you are so thrilled by it.”

“It is not the picnic I am excited about, brother,” Celine said, closing her wardrobe. “It’s the people, or person, that will be there.” She winked at him and Virgil rolled his eyes playfully and started to walk back to his own bedroom.

Virgil wasn’t as serious about his fashion choices as his sister. He just chose whatever he felt like wearing, which was mostly black, and usually that would be enough for his father and the society he was born in.

Closing his door, Virgil got out his box from under the floorboards, took his sketchbook, found a pencil and started drawing what he thought the picnic would be like tomorrow. He thought about the trees, the grass, the flowers, the sun, the sky, but most of all, he thought about Roman.

He sketched a small little figure of him, sitting in the grass, before creating the greyscale scene around him. After the picnic, Virgil would compare his initial thoughts and imagination to the actual day, and see how much better it would be in real life.

He managed to finish it just in time for dinner, and when he came downstairs, he didn’t notice the dopey smile plastered on his face.

As Virgil joined them at the table, his mother noticed it.  
“What has got you in such a joyous mood, my child?” she asked.  
“Oh, nothing mother,” Virgil answered, his smile not faltering. “Just… excited about the picnic tomorrow.”

He sat down as the food was served to them by their servants, then Celine leaned over.  
“You’ve been so much more jubilant since the party. Did it really change you that much?” she whispered.  
“Well, does it seem that way?” Virgil replied and his sister smiled back happily, then to herself.

Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to force him to go to that party after all.

After dinner, Virgil changed into his nightwear and flopped onto his bed. He noticed his box still out on his desk, so he stood up to put it away, but when he was about to close the lid, he caught sight of the blood red rose petal Roman had hid in that small note he found in his coat pocket that evening.

Each time he saw the note, his heart speedened. He thought it pathetic that always felt this way just because of a small piece of paper, but he didn’t care. The petal surprisingly still hadn’t wilted and its vivid colour stayed intact, even after all this time.

Taking them both out, Virgil then closed the box with its cardboard lid and hid it under the wooden boards, before picking the petal and the paper back up and lying down in his bed. His eyelids fell over his eyes as they started to grow heavy, and within minutes he was asleep, still holding the petal close to his heart.


End file.
